the protection of the latter！ WE should lay down a telephone wire； and consider that we established a much more efficient connection； but in the beginning； and quite naturally； men； like children； rely on surface associations。 Among the Dyaks of Borneo＇2＇ when the men are away fighting； the WOMEN must use a sort of telepathic magic in order to safeguard themthat is； they must themselves rise early and keep awake all day （lest darkness and sleep should give advantage to the enemy）； they must not OIL their hair （lest their husbands should make any SLIPS）； they must eat sparingly and put aside rice at every meal （so that the men may not want for food）。 And so on。 Similar superstitions are common。 But they gradually lead to a little thought； and then to a little more； and so to the discovery of actual and provable influences。 Perhaps one day the cord connecting the temple with Ephesus was drawn TIGHT and it was found that messages could be； by tapping； transmitted along it。 That way lay the discovery of a fact。 In an age which worshiped fertility； whether in mankind or animals； TWINS were ever counted especially blest； and were credited with a magic power。 （The Constellation of the Twins was thought peculiarly lucky。） Perhaps after a time it was discovered that twins sometimes run in families； and in such cases really do bring fertility with them。 In cattle it is known nowadays that there are more twins of the female sex than of the male sex。＇3＇
＇1＇ Primitive Culture； vol。 i； p。 106。
＇2＇ See The Golden Bough； i； 127。
＇3＇ See Evolution of Sex； by Geddes and Thomson （1901）； p。 41； note。
Observations of this kind were naturally made by the ablest members of the tribewho were in all probability the medicine…men and wizardsand brought in consequence power into their hands。 The road to power in factand especially was this the case in societies which had not yet developed wealth and propertylay through Magic。 As far as magic represented early superstition land religion it laid hold of the HEARTS of mentheir hopes and fears； as far as it represented science and the beginnings of actual knowledge； it inspired their minds with a sense of power； and gave form to their lives and customs。 We have no reason to suppose that the early magicians and medicine…men were peculiarly wicked or bent on mere self…aggrandizementany more than we have to think the same of the average country vicar or country doctor of to…day。 They were merely men a trifle wiser or more instructed than their flocks。 But though probably in most cases their original intentions were decent enough； they were not proof against the temptations which the possession of power always brings； and as time went on they became liable to trade more and more upon this power for their own advancement。 In the matter of Religion the history of the Christian priesthood through the centuries shows sufficiently to what misuse such power can be put； and in the matter of Science it is a warning to us of the dangers attending the formation of a scientific priesthood； such as we see growing up around us to…day。 In both caseswhether Science or Religionvanity； personal ambition； lust of domination and a hundred other vices； unless corrected by a real devotion to the public good； may easily bring as many evils in their train as those they profess to cure。
The Medicine…man； or Wizard； or Magician； or Priest； slowly but necessarily gathered power into his hands； and there is much evidence to show that in the case of many tribes at any rate； it was HE who became ultimate chief and leader and laid the foundations of Kingship。 The Basileus was always a sacred personality； and often united in himself as head of the clan the offices of chief in warfare and leader in priestly riteslike Agamemnon in Homer； or Saul or David in the Bible。 As a magician he had influence over the fertility of the earth and； like the blameless king in the Odyssey； under his sway 〃the dark earth beareth in season Barley and wheat； and the trees are laden with fruitage； and alway Yean unfailing the flocks； and the sea gives fish in abundance。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ Odyssey xix； 109 sq。 Translation by H。 B。 Cotterill。
As a magician too he was trusted for success in warfare； and Schoolcraft； in a passage quoted by Andrew Lang；＇1＇ says of the Dacotah Indians 〃the war…chief who leads the party to war is always one of these medicine…men。〃 This connection； however； by which the magician is transformed into the king has been abundantly studied； and need not be further dwelt upon here。
And what of the transformation of the king into a god or of the Magician or Priest directly into the same？ Perhaps in order to appreciate this； one must make a further digression。
For the early peoples there were； as it would appear； two main objects in life： （1） to promote fertility in cattle and crops； for food； and （2） to placate or ward off Death； and it seemed very obviouseven before any distinct figures of gods； or any idea of prayer； had arisento attain these objects by magic ritual。 The rites of Baptism； of Initiation （or Confirmation） and the many ceremonies of a Second Birth； which we associate with fully…formed religions； did belong also to the age of Magic； and they all implied a belief in some kind of re…incarnationin a life going forward continually and being renewed in birth again and again。 It is curious that we find such a belief among the lowest savages even to…day。 Dr。 Frazer； speaking of the Central Australian tribes； says the belief is firmly rooted among them 〃that the human soul undergoes an endless series of re…incarnationsthe living men and women of one generation being nothing but the spirits of their ancestors come to life again； and destined themselves to be reborn in the persons of their descendants。 During the interval between two re…incarnations the souls live in their nanja spots； or local totem…centres； which are always natural objects such as trees or rocks。 Each totem… clan has a number of such totem…centres scattered over the country。 There the souls of the dead men and women of the totem； but no others； congregate； and are born again in human form when a favorable opportunity presents itself。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ Myth； Ritual and Religion； vol。 i； p。 113。
＇2＇ The Golden Bough； vol。 i； p。 96。
And what the early people believed of the human spirit； they believed of the corn…spirits and the tree and vegetation spirits also。 At the great Spring…ritual among the primitive Greeks 〃the tribe and the growing earth were renovated together： the earth arises afresh from her dead seeds； the tribe from its dead ancestors。〃 And the whole process projects itself in the idea of a spirit of the year； who 〃in the first stage is living； then dies with each year； and thirdly rises again from the dead； raising the whole dead world with him。 The Greeks called him in this stage 'The Third One' ＇Tritos Soter＇ or 'the Saviour'； and the renovation ceremonies were accompanied by a casting…off of the old year； the old garments； and everything that is polluted by the infection of death。〃＇1＇ Thus the multiplication of the crops and the renovation of the tribe； and at the same time the evasion and placation of death； were all assured by similar rites and befitting ceremonial magic。＇2＇
＇1＇ Gilbert Murray； Four Stages； p。 46。
＇2＇ It is interesting to find； with regard to the renovation of the tribe； that among the Central Australians the foreskins or male members of those who died were deposited in the above…mentioned nanja spotsthe idea evidently being that like the seeds of the corn the seeds of the human crop must be carefully and ceremonially preserved for their re…incarnation。
In all these cases； and many others that I have not mentioned of the magical worship of Bulls and Bears and Rams and Cats and Emus and Kangaroos； of Trees and Snakes； of Sun and Moon and Stars； and the spirit of the Corn in its yearly and miraculous resurrection out of the groundthere is still the same idea or moving inspiration； the sense mentioned in the foregoing chapter； the feeling （hardly yet conscious of its own meaning） of intimate relationship and unity with all this outer world； the instinctive conviction that the world can be swayed by the spirit of Man； if the man can only find the right ritual； the right word； the right spell； wherewith to move it。 An aura of emotion surrounded everythingof terror； of tabu； of fascination； of desire。 The world； to these people； was transparent with presences related to themselves； and though hunger and sex may have been the dominant and overwhelmingly practical needs of their life； yet their outlook on the world was essentially poetic and imaginative。
Moreover it will be seen that in this age of magic and the belief in spirits； though there was an intense sense of every thing being alive； the gods； in the more modern sense of the world； hardly existed＇1＇that is； there was no very clear vision； to these people； of supra…mundane beings； sitting apart and ordaining the affairs of earth； as it were from a distance。 Doubtless this conception was slowly evolving； but it was only incipient。 For the time beingthough there might be orders and degrees of spirits （and of gods）every such being was only conceived of； and could only be conceived of； as actually a part of Nature； dwelling in and interlaced with some phenomenon of Earth and Sky； and having no separate existence。
＇1＇ For a discussion of the evolution of RELIGION out of MAGIC； see Westermarck's Origin of Moral Ideas； ch。 47。
How was it then； it will be asked； that the belief in separate and separable gods and goddesseseach with his or her well…marked outline and character and function； like the divinities of Greece； or of India； or of the Egyptian or Christian religions； ultimately arose？ To this question Jane Harrison （in her Themis and other books） gives an ingenious answer； which as it chimes in with my own speculations （in the Art of Creation and elsewhere） I am inclined to adopt。 It is that the figures of the supranatural gods arose from a process in the human mind similar to that which the photographer adopts when by photographing a number of faces on the same plate； and so superposing their images on one another； he produces a so…called 〃